By Seyi Babalola
The Coroner’s Court in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has ordered substituted service on crucial witnesses in the ongoing investigation into the death of musician Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad.
These include Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley; Samson Eletu, aka Sam Larry; Karimot Ogunbayo, Mohbad’s sister-in-law; Boluwatife Adeyemo, aka Darosha; and Oluwasanmi Falade, Mohbad’s lawyer.
The list also included Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the nurse who was reported to have treated the deceased at the time, and Fidelis Esanbor, the driver who brought him to the hospital.
Magistrate T. A. Sotobi granted Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba’s, motion to serve a witness summons on additional witnesses via a recognized national newspaper and social media.
The Aloba family’s legal team in a statement signed by Monisola Odumosu and sent to Newsmen on Thursday said that the order was given during the August 16 court session.
The legal team also requested that the coroner’s court issue Witness Summons to interested parties as witnesses to provide evidence on the link and circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.
“Magistrate Sotobi, sitting at the Ikorodu Magistrate court Friday 16 August 2024 agreed with the legal team of Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, that the new witnesses should be served via substituted means in a reputable national newspaper and social media to ensure prompt attendance of the new witnesses.
“The application, which was argued by the legal team led by Mr Wahab Shittu SAN (leading Emmanuel Oroko Esq., Miss. Monisola Odumosu, Emmanuel Sadoh, Dr. A.R. Ahmed, Oluyemi Osalusi Esq., Wole Ariyibi and Sadiq Kamo) representing Mr Joseph Aloba, sought an order of the coroner’s court to issue Witness Summons on interested persons as witnesses to give evidence on the connection and circumstances leading to the death of late Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad), who died in suspicious circumstances on September 12, 2023. Mr. Joseph Aloba also asked for an order to issue Witness Summons against Nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe, Boluwatife Adeyemo (A.K.A Darosha), Karimot Titilayo Ogunbayo, Barr. Oluwasanmi Falade (Mohbad’s lawyer), and Fidelis Esanbor (driver), Azeez Fashola (aka Naira Marley), Balogun Samson Eletu respectively, to give evidence of what they know in connection and circumstances leading to the death of Mr Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad), in suspicious circumstances on the 12th day of September 2023 on a date convenient and to be determined by the coroner,” the statement read.
They further asked the court that upon the grant of the orders, to grant leave to serve the witness summons to be issued on the new witnesses by substituted service by causing the said witness summons to be published in any reputable national newspaper within the country as the only viable means of service of the witness summons.
The legal team argued that attempts to serve these witnesses with witness summons through the judicial system had been futile. Meanwhile, the coroner’s court approved an application to recall Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi, and the IPO in charge of the investigation, ASP Muhammad Yusuf.
Akinpelu Ogunbona, a lawyer who argued the motion on behalf of Ibrahim Owodunni aka Primeboy, indicated that fresh concerns needed to be addressed by both Wunmi and the police in order to provide a clear picture of what killed the singer. According to the statement, their request to be called by Akinpelu A. Ogunbona Esq. seeks to clarify certain ambiguous allegations about the fight that the singer’s wife claims occurred in the house. The coroner then delayed the case until the order was followed and the witnesses were brought to court on the next adjourned date.
It should be recalled that Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.